FindtheSeeker

I just did an interview with the wonderful and insightful Catherine Carrigan focusing on peace. As the interview was limited in time, I would like to add a few comments.
The interview focused on what the individual can do to promote peace in the world and in ourselves. Various tools were mentioned and people such as Thich Nhat Hanh, who called for a socially engaged activism in which inner peace through meditation, mindfulness and more is combined with compassion and social responsibility.
There was also the question about what “Zen” can contribute to peace. However, this question focuses on the “benefits”, in other words, what each individual, each separate “I” can achieve.
Zen’s primary focus is not on the so-called benefits but on answering the question “who am I”? You may want – understandably - to change or improve the world in this short lifetime, but what about discovering your true Self? My Zen Master Genro Laoshi used to say, “Find out who you are, and then do what you think you have to do.” In other words, find the seeker!
We may think it is the ego-centered separate “I”, the “I”-dentity we have (our personality, achievements etc.) often dominated by the never-ending monkey mind, but it actually is the undefinable and nameless Suchness, Oneness – the One Self, the Source, the Divine, “Being” or simply “AM” or “I AM” or whatever name you give to it. Zen can help us realize that we already ARE what we seek.
Getting back to Catherine’s question: in fact, peace is our natural state. As Ramana Maharshi said, “BE are you ARE” and added with regard to peace, “If you find it within yourself, you will find it everywhere.” In this way, though it is not the main focus, Zen can unfold benefits such as serenity, bliss and lightness of being (without any reason) – and thus help us be this inner peace and thus more effectively promote world peace.

With a deep bow
Zen Master Kiichi Gong

There will be more postings in the future. With a deep bow. Zen Master Kiichi Gong